


Forever Hold Your Peace

by lookingforthestars



Category: Scorpion (TV 2014)
Genre: AU, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-29
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-17 21:49:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21600295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lookingforthestars/pseuds/lookingforthestars
Summary: The first rule of wedding planning: don't fall in love with the groom. AU.
Relationships: Linda (Scorpion)/Walter O'Brien, Paige Dineen & Walter O'Brien, Ralph Dineen & Walter O'Brien, Walter O'Brien/Happy Quinn
Comments: 1
Kudos: 18





	1. Star-Crosswalked

**Author's Note:**

> To my great surprise, I had an urge to write a multi-chapter fic and this idea just popped into my head. It's loosely based on "The Wedding Planner," so it won't follow the movie exactly, but I thought it would make for a fun AU. Hope you guys enjoy it!

"It went off without a hitch. Melissa can't stop raving about how perfect the day was. Nice job. You might have a future here yet."

Paige grinned. There were plenty of hitches – cold food, late flowers, a jittery groom – but the bride wasn't privy to any of them, and since her father was paying for Paige's services, that was the only thing that mattered. "Thank you."

"Come in early tomorrow. I have another assignment for you. Vivian started with them, but since she's…" Allie let out a loud, clearly disapproving sigh. "Moving to Texas to chase that idiot boyfriend of hers, I'm having you take it over. You've proven you can handle it."

"I can," Paige said, trying to project confidence without sounding arrogant. There was a very thin line in Allie's mind – a lesson Paige had learned the hard way. "I'll be there at seven."

"Get some rest. The circus starts all over tomorrow." Allie hung up before Paige had a chance to say goodbye. Far from unusual. Her boss was nothing if not efficient.

Paige grinned, taking a quick look around to make sure no one was watching before she did a fist pump. Wedding planning was a surprisingly cutthroat industry and getting in hadn't been easy. Getting into Allie's good graces was even more difficult. But finally, finally, _finally_ , the hard work was started to pay off.

Even when she felt like giving up, which was often, she reminded herself that it was all in service of Ralph. Giving him a better life. Being someone he could be proud of. If that was all she accomplished in this life, it was enough.

But boy, was she tired. It was already eleven. Ralph's babysitter was used to working late – it was the nature of the job – but Paige hoped to squeeze in at least a few minutes with her son before he was dead to the world.

She tapped her foot impatiently at the "no walk" signal. Parking at the venue was limited, and she'd been lucky to get a spot a ten-minute walk away. The crossing was unusually crowded – there had been some sort of tech conference, she remembered passing the signs – and people were beginning to bump into her from all sides as they jostled for a position on the small patch of sidewalk.

Paige felt a buzz against her hip and fished her phone back out of her purse. Allie had sent her the dossier for tomorrow's couple, which she no doubt expected Paige to have memorized before their meeting tomorrow. Oh, well. There went her dreams of sweet sleep.

The signal blared at her to "walk," and Paige stepped into the crosswalk, quickly skimming through the files in her inbox. Thin. Paige had a feeling she would be picking up a lot of Vivian's slack.

"Hey!" She heard the deep voice in her ear a split second before she felt a pair of hands yank her backward onto the sidewalk. Paige was fully prepared to chew out the handsy stranger, until she looked up in time to see a sedan blow through the red light exactly where she'd been standing.

She let out a breath, suddenly shaky with the knowledge of what had almost happened. The stranger's hands were still on her waist, and he pulled them back abruptly as she turned around.

"Are you okay?" The man's eyes were concerned. Paige felt oddly calmed by that, even though she was seconds away from jumping out of her skin. She glanced around, relieved to see that no one else had taken the same stupid risk. The crowd was eyeing at her but seemed to lose interest once they realized she wasn't hurt.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay." She swallowed, clenching and unclenching her fists to calm herself down. "I-I wasn't even looking. He just…"

"I know. I'm ninety-four percent sure he was occupied with his phone, just like you were. If it helps, this intersection has red light cameras, so he can look forward to a fine." He dipped his head, tentatively putting a hand on her arm. "Are you sure you're alright? You're extremely pale. Do you need to go to the hospital, or…?"

"No. No, I'm really fine. Just freaked out." The last of the crowd around them streamed through the intersection, but the man didn't move. Paige offered him a weak smile. "And grateful. Thank you. That could have been…I don't want to think about how that could have been."

"Of course. Well…" He cleared his throat, shifting his weight slightly. She wondered if he was nervous because he'd almost watched her become roadkill or if he was just a generally awkward person. "I-I'm glad that you're unharmed. I hope you'll be more careful, though."

"I will. It was stupid. You know, you take risks every day, and nothing happens, and you think you're invincible." She let out a little laugh, gratified by the warm smile she got in return. "Please, let me buy you something. Coffee? I know it's late. It doesn't have to be tonight, I just really want to repay you somehow."

He looked at her for a moment, his dark eyes making Paige feel suddenly self-conscious. It felt like…like he was studying her. Analyzing her. She was no stranger to men watching her, but not like this. "That's not necessary," he said finally. "But thank you. How far do you have to walk? Like you said, it's late."

"I'm around the corner. I'll be fine." The man brushed one hand through his unruly hair, and Paige chided herself when she realized she was staring at him more intently than she meant to. "Are you sure I can't thank you in some way?"

The corner of his mouth tilted up. "I'm sure. It was nothing. I just happened to be closest." Paige was surprised by the twinge of disappointment in her chest. She dismissed it. He was well within his rights to kindly refuse her offer, and there was no reason for her to feel any particular way about it. "I'm glad you're okay. Have a good night, and please be safe."

"I will. Thank you."

He opened his mouth and closed it again, giving her a brief nod before walking away. She watched him cross the intersection perpendicular to hers and disappear around the block before she checked – twice – and stepped across her own intersection.

When she reached her car, it occurred to her that she hadn't even asked his name.

* * *

Five a.m. came much, much too early.

Paige had woken her son up when she came home, elated that she was coming home to him at all. After finally leaving him to rest, she'd spent an hour scanning through the dossier, catching up on the new couple's wedding plans. They were only two months away from the ceremony, and while Vivian had at least booked the venue and the bride had a dress, there were dozens of other details Paige would have to tackle on a very tight deadline.

If she pulled this off…it would score major points with her boss. Maybe she could leverage it to negotiate a raise. After all, Vivian's mistakes had put the reputation of Allie's firm in danger.

She sent Ralph off to school and downed a smoothie in the car before arriving outside Allie's office at three minutes to seven. She could hear voices inside and cautiously peeked through the ajar door, nearly dropping her purse when she saw _him_.

What was he doing there? Had he tracked her down somehow to make sure she was okay? Had he come to take her up on her offer to go out for coffee? She refused to entertain that thought for more than three seconds. It was narcissistic to think he was there because of her, but why else would he be?

Paige lightly knocked on the door to announce her arrival before pushing it open the rest of the way.

Oh.

"Hi!" A beautiful blonde woman – Linda, she knew from the dossier – jumped up, throwing her arms around Paige. "Thank you so much for helping us! I was freaking out, but Allie says we're in good hands."

"Uh…y-yes. Yes, of course. It's so nice to meet you." _Pull it together_ , she screamed at herself internally. Linda let her go and the man took a step toward her, reaching out to shake her hand. "And you must be Walter O'Brien."

He nodded. "Yes. It's nice to meet you."

Paige paused for a second, wondering if he would say anything about the previous night, but he stayed silent. Completely understandable. Knowing that their wedding planner was the kind of person who walked into traffic without looking would hardly put Linda's concerns at ease.

"Well, I'm Paige Dineen," she said, plastering on a big, fake smile. "And I can't wait to help you get married."


	2. Transference

"So, how did you two meet? I have all of Vivian's notes about the wedding, but I'd really like to get to know you both more myself, if that's okay."

"Uh…" Walter cleared his throat. "Speed dating."

Paige waited for more clarification, but he lapsed back into silence. She supposed not everyone had an exciting "meet cute" story, like _oh yeah, he saved my life when I almost walked into the path of an oncoming car…_

God, why was she even thinking about that? It was so far past inappropriate.

"Really?" Linda glanced at him sideways, her eyebrow raised. "You're not going to tell her about the bomb?"

"I'm sorry, the what?" Paige narrowed her eyes. "Did you say bomb?"

"She asked how we met," Walter said with a hint of defensiveness. "We had already been on a date by then."

"Yeah, but the bomb was the reason we really got together, you weirdo." Linda rolled her eyes playfully, turning her attention back to Paige. "This psycho strapped a bomb to my chest. Fortunately, Walter runs this team of genius problem solvers. They found a way to protect me when the bomb detonated. And Walter…" She smiled up at him adoringly. "He never left my side. He was amazing."

Wow. Suddenly Paige's rescue didn't seem so exciting. It was probably a regular Saturday for him. No wonder he didn't accept her offer of repayment – saving her was like tying his shoes.

"That's…unbelievable," she said honestly. "That must have been terrifying."

Linda laughed. "It was terrifying for me. Walter risks his life about twice a week, so I think he's a little more immune to it. But I knew there was no way I would find anyone else more selfless. I mean," she nodded toward Paige. "You know what men in this city are like."

She coughed. "Uh…sure." _I know what men everywhere are like._ She had a too-long stint as a waitress while she tried to get a chance as a wedding planner, and the way some of the drunker and/or ruder patrons had treated her was dehumanizing.

And that wasn't even counting the ones who had fooled her into thinking they were the mythical "good guys."

"And how did Walter propose?" she asked to change the subject.

Linda put her hand on Walter's arm, showing off a beautiful engagement ring. It was a simple platinum band with a large square-cut emerald. That was becoming common with brides as people started to become more aware of issues in the diamond industry. "We were just having dinner at the garage one night and he said something like 'We're a strong match, and there are many benefits to marriage.' He's not exactly a poet," she giggled. "But he is romantic in his own way."

It didn't sound very romantic to her, but then again, she'd planned weddings where the groom had blurted out a proposal in the middle of sex and the bride held him to it, so it wasn't the _least_ romantic thing she had ever heard.

"The garage?"

"It's where I live. And where my team works," Walter explained.

"Sounds interesting." Everything she'd learned about Walter so far was interesting. He was a little bit of an odd duck, but he intrigued her.

_But he shouldn't._

This was just…attachment to the person who had saved her. It happened all the time. Transference? She couldn't remember the exact term, but that was certainly what this was.

She wasn't sure if transference covered the tiny chill that went down her spine when his eyes were trained on her, though.

 _Stop. Just stop._ Paige was always drawn to the wrong guy. Hadn't she gathered enough evidence to prove that? Hell, maybe this attraction only existed because he was already spoken for and couldn't hurt her. Not really.

"When you think about being married, what are you most excited about?" she asked, tapping her electronic pen against her tablet. This was usually a good question to get even the most reserved couples to gush about their partners. And she knew if she could just get Walter to look as adoringly at Linda as she looked at him, the niggling feeling in her stomach might disappear.

Linda toyed with her ring a little. "I'm just excited to have a partner, I guess. Someone who's supportive and kind." She smiled up at Walter, but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. _Unless you're imagining that because you want something to be wrong,_ Paige lectured herself. "What about you, honey?"

"Oh. Uh…" Walter offered a small shrug. "I look forward to being…normal. Having a normal life."

* * *

"Mom?"

Paige jolted back to reality, aware of her son's questioning expression. "Sorry, baby. I'm just distracted thinking about work stuff."

"Okay. Can we watch a movie tonight?"

"Sure, honey. Whatever you want." The room fell quiet again as Ralph pushed pieces of corn around his plate. She didn't lecture him about playing with his food anymore. It was a fight she never won. "How was school?"

"Fine."

Paige shut her eyes, taking a deep breath. Talking to him was like pulling teeth sometimes. But compared to how much he spoke to everyone else – which is to say, he didn't – she was grateful for the few words she did get.

He couldn't help it. It was just how he was.

Halfway through the movie, Paige realized she couldn't name a single character or even explain the plot. She was lost in her thoughts.

Allie had a policy on couples that didn't seem equally committed to getting married. That policy equated to: "It's none of our business, and we get paid whether the marriage lasts or not."

But it never felt good for her to push people. It was a major decision and it was supposed to – hopefully, if you were lucky – last forever.

Maybe it was all in her head. She couldn't trust herself, after all. Her judgment was clouded, and Walter _was_ different. Maybe he just showed his affection in a different way, and he was wildly in love with Linda. Maybe she was searching for a crack in their relationship because it would make her feel better about the fact that she hadn't stopped thinking about him since they met.

Maybe she was sabotaging herself because she was so close to success, and she didn't know how to handle it.

Whatever her problem was, nothing good was going to come out of this. Her best bet was to focus her attention on Linda and avoid Walter until the knot was tied and they were out of her life for good.

"Mom, your phone is ringing," Ralph said matter-of-factly. Paige looked at the screen. Speak of the devil.

"Hey, Linda," she answered in her calm, professional work voice. "Is everything okay?"

"Hi! Yes, I'm sorry to call so late. I know we had a meeting set for Wednesday, but I just got pulled into this last-minute work trip and I'm going to be out of town for ten days."

They only had two months. Ten days was an eternity in wedding planning time. Paige tried to tamp down her panic. "I really need a decision from you on some things, Linda. I can send you pictures…it won't be the same, but we can make it work."

"Don't worry about it!" Linda chirped. "Walter's going to make the decisions. Whatever he doesn't have an opinion on – which honestly, will probably be a lot of things – we'll trust you to pick something beautiful. His team is going to help too. They cleared their schedule for Wednesday, so you can just go to the garage and bring whatever samples you have. I'm sure they'll have a lot to say. Is that okay?"

It was great. It was…just…great. "Sounds perfect!" she fibbed, fully aware of the skeptical look on Ralph's face. Somehow, he _always_ knew when she was lying. "Have a great time on your trip."

"Thanks. And look…I know Walter isn't the friendliest guy in the world, but I swear he's got a good heart. He just needs time to get comfortable with people. Same with his team. Don't let them intimidate you."

If only that was her concern. "I won't. Thanks. Good night."

She ended the call, putting her phone on silent and flipping the screen down so she wouldn't see any more calls. Ignorance was bliss and all that.

Ralph crossed his legs in front of him on the couch. "That was weird."

Paige glared at him. "Just watch your movie."


	3. Another World

_Don't let them intimidate you._

Paige chuckled a little to herself. If she wasn't intimidated by the bride's father who screamed at her because it was raining – as if she could just snap her fingers and fix it, if only she wanted to – then a group of nerds probably wouldn't faze her much.

She rubbed Ralph's shoulder comfortingly and knocked on the heavy door. Walter opened it, fortunately, looking between her and Ralph with a bit of confusion on his face. "Your son?"

"Yeah. I'm so sorry," she said as apologetically as she could. "His babysitter has the flu. I can just sit him down with a tablet, I swear you won't even know he's here."

"It's okay. Come on in." Walter stepped aside, letting them both inside. Paige didn't miss the glance that passed between him and her son. She'd seen that look on Ralph before and never thought much of it. He was curious. But now she understood why it had seemed so familiar from Walter after the crosswalk incident. They had an almost identical expression when they were analyzing something new.

She had to admit, when Walter said he lived in a garage, she hadn't expected something quite so…big. The lower level was packed with equipment and computers and random machines that were half disassembled. The stairs lead up to a loft, which she assumed was where Walter lived.

A man, probably her age, stepped forward and offered a little bow, holding onto his fedora so it didn't slip off. "Welcome to our humble abode, Ms. Wedding Planner. I'm Toby." He straightened up. "Are all wedding planners as beautiful as you?"

"Ignore him," the woman behind him insisted, rolling her eyes. She closed the distance between them, pushing Toby roughly to the side. "I'm Happy. Welcome to the garage. We're here to help with…whatever goes into planning a wedding."

Toby shot her a look of mock injury. "You do remember that we're married, turtledove?"

"Yeah, but I made other people deal with the details."

"I'm sorry, is your _name_ Happy?" Paige asked, certain she'd heard wrong somehow.

The woman smirked. "Yep. My parents really nailed it on that one."

No kidding.

"Well, I'm Paige. And this is my son, Ralph." She gestured to him. He was staring at something at the wall, paying no attention to their interaction. "Is this your whole team?"

"Hold on." Happy turned toward the kitchen and shouted at top volume, "Gallo! Sly! The wedding planner's here to help Walt pick out his dress!"

Paige suppressed her giggle, stealing a glance at Walter. He looked unamused.

"Good lord, we're coming." An older man rounded the corner, reaching her in a few quick steps and holding out his hand. "Special Agent Cabe Gallo, Homeland Security."

"Oh, wow. It's nice to meet you. And you are?" she asked the much younger, clearly nervous man who had just walked in beside him.

"Sylvester Dodd," he introduced himself, seeming a bit unsure as he shook her hand. "We're very happy you're here."

Paige smiled. She could see from a mile away that Sylvester had a kind heart. "Linda tells me you're all geniuses?"

Cabe shook his head. "I'm not, but the rest of them are. I just point them in the direction of the nearest disaster and bring the gun." He made a broad gesture to the garage, chuckling. "They don't know a damn thing about decorating though, so you've got your work cut out for you."

From what she'd seen so far, it wasn't hard to agree.

"Well, I have a bunch of samples in my car, so I'll go get everything. Ralph can hang out wherever. I'll give him his tablet and he's quiet as a mouse. Is the couch okay?"

"Nonsense," Cabe said authoritatively. "I'll hang out with the kid. It'll give me an excuse to stay far away from all this wedding stuff. My ex-wife will tell you that's for the best."

"That's sweet, just…" She got closer to the agent, dropping her voice. "Just so you know, he has…challenges. He doesn't really talk to anyone besides me. Don't take it personally, okay?"

Cabe nodded, placing a gentle hand on her arm. "I've got him." He waved for Ralph to follow him. "Come on kid, let's go cause some trouble."

Ralph and Agent Gallo disappeared back into the depths of the garage and Paige tried not to worry. She had a very strong suspicion that Cabe was a parent himself.

* * *

Paige put a hand over her mouth, stifling her yawn. She'd been at the garage for a few hours and trying to reach a consensus between the team had been exhausting. If Walter had a preference at all – which was rare, as Linda had predicted – he would just point and say, "this one, I guess."

The other geniuses were much more animated. _Those flowers are ridiculous. Those place settings look like toilet paper. You're playing this song at the reception over my dead body._

And despite it all, she'd had…fun. She couldn't explain it, but this strange, ragtag group of geniuses – Toby had informed her of all their specialties, his multiple times – was so different than anyone else she was used to. Definitely nothing like her friends. And certainly nothing like the pushy families she usually dealt with.

Walter had spoken the least out of anyone. Toby spoke enough for everyone, of course, but Paige couldn't help wondering if he was uncomfortable with the wedding process or uncomfortable with…her.

She'd tried hard to stay professional, not let on that he was anything other than a typical groom for her. But he was a genius. Maybe he could sense it anyway.

"I'm so hungry, I'm about to eat these pictures of wedding cakes," Happy grumbled, patting her stomach. "Doc, we're going to pick up some pizza. I'm driving."

Toby followed her obediently. There was no questioning who wore the pants in that relationship, but Paige was pretty good at reading couples, and it wasn't hard to see Happy's devotion to him underneath her bossiness.

Sylvester hopped up too. "I have a book about the mathematics behind music that I think you'll find interesting. Let me find it."

"Thank you, Sylvester." She waited until the group had dwindled down to just her and Walter before turning to him. "Are you okay?"

He looked surprised. "I'm sorry?"

"You're very quiet," she explained, trying to find the right words that wouldn't sound overly prying. Walter struck her as a very private person. "I know this can be a lot. Just…don't worry about it too much, okay? My job is to make the wedding perfect, but really, it's just one day. What comes after that is the important part."

Walter nodded pensively. "This was supposed to be Linda's area. I d-don't know that I have much to contribute."

"Most men don't dream about their wedding day like women do. That's okay. I'll keep you from picking something horrible, trust me." He looked a little relieved at that. "But if you do have any ideas, you can share them with me. Nothing is stupid, we can always make it work. It's your wedding too."

"Like you said. It's just a day," Walter said with a shrug. "Whatever Linda wants, it's…it's fine."

Paige bit her tongue before she could ask what she desperately wanted to ask. Everything in her was screaming that he didn't want this. Even grooms who weren't interested in wedding details were generally excited about the prospect of marrying the love of their life.

_Why are you getting married?_

She could almost hear Allie's voice in her head, telling her it was none of her business. People got married for all sorts of reasons. Spouses weren't always passionately in love, but that didn't mean they didn't get anything out of marriage. Sometimes the companionship was enough.

And Paige had learned in college that people with high IQs sometimes had low EQ. It was possible that…that Walter just didn't experience romantic love the way other people did. He wasn't physically built for it.

"What about you?"

His voice jolted her out of her thoughts. "What about me?"

"You're not married. Or if you are, you don't wear a ring," he noted, looking pointedly at her left hand. "Have you ever planned your own wedding?"

Paige bit her lip, debating whether to tell him the truth but feeling, strangely, like she wanted him to know. "Almost," she said quietly. "We were a few weeks from the wedding, and he got an offer to play baseball in New Mexico. I didn't want to move, so he just…went. I'd just found out I was pregnant with Ralph."

"I'm sorry."

His voice was softer, and he sounded much more like he did the night they met. "Thanks. Honestly, it's much better when it happens before the wedding than after."

Walter opened his mouth, but Cabe strode quickly into the room, distracting them both. "Sylvester says there's something you two need to see."

Paige felt another pang of fear and took off after him, hoping Ralph hadn't accidentally wreaked havoc on some expensive piece of tech. She should have checked on him earlier, shouldn't have been so distracted by work and Walter that she-.

She stopped in her tracks, trying to make sense of what she was seeing.

Sylvester and Ralph were hunched intently over a table, surrounded by packets of sugar and tiny creamers and other random items from the kitchen. They were both moving the packets around in a way that seemed entirely random to her, but not to everyone else.

"Incredible," Walter muttered under his breath.

Not for the first time since she'd entered the garage, Paige felt lost. "Walter, tell me what's happening."

"What's happening is that Ralph is playing chess with a Grandmaster. And he's winning." He shook his head, surprise and awe mingled in his expression. "Paige, your son isn't challenged. He's a genius."


	4. Commitment

"No, he's not…" She took a step backward – going where, she had no idea. "I would know if my son was a genius. I would _know_."

Walter stepped closer, keeping his voice low so Ralph wouldn't overhear. "Not necessarily. Genius manifests itself in different ways. It's likely that you've never seen any evidence of his intellect because he keeps everything in his mind. But look at the way he and Sylvester are interacting." Paige glanced at the pair, who were continuing to play chess with cups of creamer like it was the most normal thing in the world. Ralph's face was lit up in a way that she couldn't ever remember seeing before. "Ralph recognizes one of his own."

Paige released a shaky breath, fighting back the tears that were starting to well in her eyes. "I've sacrificed so much for him and…you're telling me I was wrong this whole time?"

"I see how much you care about him. I'm sure you always did what you thought was best. Most parents aren't equipped to recognize or handle a genius child. None of ours were."

Walter was doing his best to be reassuring, but it was only making a tiny dent in the mountain of guilt that was suddenly on her shoulders. She had always loved her son despite his difficulties, but what if he'd been trying to show her the real him all along, and she was too blind to understand? She would never forgive herself for holding him back.

"Are you okay? Are you…upset?" he ventured.

There was something in his tone that made her wonder if he was asking _are you upset that Ralph is a genius._ "It's just a lot to wrap my head around. I always knew he was special, but…" She swallowed. "What do I do?"

"We can help. Whatever he's learning in school is probably not nearly enough to stimulate him, but we can find his strengths and teach him how to use them."

Paige nodded, feeling almost too overwhelmed to speak. Maybe she'd been thinking about this all wrong. Wondering what Walter's introduction to her life was supposed to mean, when all along, it was her _son_ who needed him.

"Okay," he said. "Do you want to stay for dinner?"

* * *

"Hey, boss."

Walter glanced over, surprised to see Happy leaning against the wall. He hadn't heard her come up. "What do you need?"

"We're heading out. I just wanted to say…that kid. He's really special, Walt."

She wasn't exaggerating. Ralph didn't speak much, but the little he'd said over dinner offered a glimpse into a pretty remarkable mind. Paige had looked stunned every time he opened his mouth.

But looking at Ralph was, in some ways, like looking at himself as a child. When he talked, the best-case scenario was that no one understood him. The worst-case scenario was that he got into trouble. So, he just stopped talking until it was necessary.

It would be different now. The team would be there for him. Walter would have given anything to have a team of geniuses find him as a child. Cabe was the closest. The agent didn't understand him, necessarily, but he was the first one to accept Walter for who he was and believe he was capable of doing good in the world.

"Yes. He is," Walter said, realizing he hadn't responded. "Paige will be bringing him on Saturday to make some decisions for the wedding and start with Ralph's training."

"Good." Happy smirked, crossing her arms. "I think they'll be good for this place. We could use a little more normalcy around here."

"Linda is normal," Walter pointed out.

"She sure is."

He raised an eyebrow at her dismissive tone. Happy was never overly enthusiastic about Linda's presence, but if the mechanic was only interested in normalcy, he failed to see what Paige would offer that Linda could not. "I thought you disliked Linda because she wasn't a genius. But neither is Paige, and you – the whole team, actually – seems to welcome her with open arms. Is it because she's the mother of a genius?"

"I don't dislike Linda because she's not a genius. I don't _dislike_ her at all," Happy said emphatically. "I just don't understand why you're marrying her."

Walter frowned. "I'm aware that you were opposed to marriage for a long time, but it seems hypocritical now that you and Toby are married, doesn't it?"

Happy sighed, rolling her eyes in a way that Walter knew he was fully intended to see. "Yeah, it turns out marriage is great when the shrink isn't getting on my nerves. That's not my point. So either you're genuinely too dense to get my point, or you're pretending not to because you don't want to admit that you don't actually want to marry Linda."

"If you're forgetting, I initiated our engagement," he said matter-of-factly. "And you know my feelings on love and romance. It's not real and serves no useful purpose other than a temporary spike in serotonin. Marriage, on the other hand, offers the benefits of a partnership. It was the logical next step in our relationship."

"You don't get married because it's logical, Walter. You get married because you can't imagine living without another person. Sometimes you want to kill them, but you want them around all the time. Can you honestly tell me you want Linda around all the time, for the rest of your life, until you die?"

He wasn't sure how to answer that. Walter enjoyed solitude to focus on work, but Linda offered him plenty of that. She had her own life. Her own friends. It had worked for them so far.

Walter furrowed his eyebrows, feeling a headache coming on at this inane conversation. "You're being hyperbolic. I have to be realistic about what kind of relationship I could form with another person. I'm happy that you and Toby found an arrangement that works for you, but Linda offers companionship without demanding more. I doubt there will be a better opportunity for someone like me."

"That's exactly what I mean, Walt. You're settling. You feel like you're supposed to marry Linda, so you don't die alone and get eaten by Ferret Bueller. And I could probably swallow that a whole lot more if I didn't think you were capable of actually having feelings for someone." Happy gave him a pointed look. "Someone you've been spending a lot of time with lately?"

"Paige?" he asked as soon as he understood her insinuation. "That's absurd. She's only here to plan the wedding. And I invited her to stay so we could get to know Ralph. That's all."

He admired Paige for her dedication to her son. And making decisions for the wedding had been less of a nightmare than he anticipated with her guidance.

But her presence in his life extended to the wedding, and now, to Ralph. Nothing else.

"Oh please, Helen Keller could see the looks you two were giving each other. But if you want to be in denial about it, that's fine. Just…" Happy shook her head. "I know you. And I know you'll be committed to Linda if you get married. So I would think long and hard about what you're going to do if you find out too late that stupid, giant brain of yours is actually capable of falling in love."

* * *

"How was school?"

"Good. I have a permission slip for you to sign. We're going to the natural history museum."

Paige almost choked on her bite of spaghetti. That was the longest answer Ralph had even provided to that question, and that wasn't even the most unexpected part. "You want to go on a field trip?"

"Walter said it's important for me to learn social interaction with my peers. Plus, he gave me some math problems I can only solve if I find the clues in the museum." Ralph looked up at her. "Can I go?"

She took a breath to steady herself. Paige felt seconds away from bursting into tears at the dinner table, but she didn't want to alarm her son. "Of course you can go, sweetie."

"Cool," he said through a mouthful of meatball.

One day. One day with Scorpion and he was already opening up more than she'd ever seen. It was remarkable. This was a side of him Paige didn't even think existed.

But she was so, so happy that it did.

"Can I be excused? I have a lot of books to read before we go to the garage on Saturday."

Paige nodded, wondering if she should pinch herself in case this turned out to be a dream. She desperately hoped it wasn't. This was everything she had ever wanted for her son.

It was unusual, to be sure. She'd always pictured him befriending his classmates, not a group of adult geniuses that saved the world. But Ralph was different. Paige had a feeling this was only the first of many things she was going to have to get used to.

She needed to support him. Wholeheartedly. She would never forgive herself for jeopardizing this newfound, tentative safe space for her son.

And that meant the not-so-small part of her that also looked forward to going to the garage on Saturday couldn't exist.

Walter's interaction with her son did nothing to erase the attraction she already felt. And if she was really letting her mind wander, she could dwell on the couple of times she had caught Walter looking at her from across the table.

But it was time to stop dwelling. She never planned to act on it – he was getting married to a very kind person, and she wouldn't dare to cause issues, even if it wasn't literally her job to make sure the wedding went smoothly.

And now that Ralph was involved…there wasn't a single thing in the world she wouldn't sacrifice for him.

Linda was returning soon. A few more days and everything would go back to normal.

Hopefully.


	5. Proximity

She hadn't planned on being there so much.

But Ralph kept begging, and pleading, and whining to go to the garage every day. It was hard to say no to her son when he'd literally never asked for anything, never been _this_ excited about anything, and aside from one day where the team was on a case in Wales, Walter insisted that it was fine for Ralph to come hang out with them.

Paige kept herself busy there, making appointments and confirming deliveries and haggling with the flower vendor who was _so sorry to tell her that the price just went up_. She didn't really need Walter's help with any of this part, the decisions were already made, and diving into her work had the dual purpose of helping her avoid him and reminding her that he was about to have a lovely ceremony with someone else.

The difference in Ralph seemed to grow exponentially. It was like her son had been sleepwalking through life and had finally woken up. It blew her mind. It made her feel a little guilty – maybe more than a little. But above all, it made her happy. And thankful.

An hour ago, she'd been coming back from the bathroom and stopped in her tracks when she saw Walter and Ralph reading a comic book together, sitting closer together than Ralph (and, she suspected, Walter) had ever been comfortable with anyone else. The feeling in her chest was so intense that it made her shaky, and she leaned against the doorframe for support. Toby had walked by, noticed her watching them, and gave her a knowing smile.

What did he know? Maybe nothing, but Toby was the behaviorist, so god only knew what he saw in her expression at that moment.

She was going to have to continue coming over after the wedding. There was no way around it. Ralph was receiving a better education here than she could give him anywhere else, and she wasn't going to just drop him off and run. She liked seeing him like this, even if it was hard to realize that she couldn't connect with him like the geniuses could.

That meant Linda would be around. The garage would be Walter and Linda's, this would be their family, and she hoped that by the time that became a reality, the thought wouldn't leave a pit in her stomach anymore.

* * *

"It's cold up here."

Paige smiled. Walter really liked to start all of his conversations with facts. "It's California cold. It's not that bad."

"What are you doing up here?" He closed the distance between the door to the ledge, where she was leaning and looking over at the city. She loved the roof of the garage. She came here when it was too loud downstairs, or she needed some fresh air, or…to hide. "Ralph fell asleep. I wanted to let you know in case you need to get him home. I can carry him to your car."

"Thank you." Paige took in a deep breath, not making a move to leave, and Walter didn't either, resting his elbows on the ledge less than a foot away from hers.

"You're right. The weather is nice," he said quietly. He wasn't good at small talk, but he seemed to be trying. It was sweet. "I, uh, decided to buy the garage right after I came up here. It's nice to have a change of scenery when I'm having issues with an experiment, or something."

Paige bit her lip. They were having a non-wedding and non-Ralph-related conversation, which she'd sworn she wouldn't have. But this was hard for him, she could tell, and she just really liked listening to his voice, even though that was a deeply inappropriate thought to have. "It would be nice to see the stars," she mused, looking out at the few specks of light she could see in the bright Los Angeles sky.

"You can, with a telescope, but the light pollution is pretty strong here. Maybe one day I can take Ralph outside the city to get a better view. Y-You'd be welcome to join, of course."

She blushed, grateful that her cheeks were already flushed from the cold air and he wouldn't be able to tell the difference. "I'm sure he would love that." Reluctantly, Paige dropped her hands from the ledge, stepping back. It was late, she was tired, and while she found herself more and more reluctant to leave the garage each time, staying here had the potential for disaster. "I should go. We'll see you on Friday, okay?"

"Yeah. Goodnight." She smiled, getting about halfway across the roof when his voice stopped her again. "Paige?"

She turned to face him, surprised to find that he was only a few steps behind her. "Yeah?"

"Sorry. I just…wanted to…to say something." Walter cleared his throat, suddenly looking nervous, and a shiver traveled down her spine as she prepared herself for what he was going to say. "Just, um…t-thank you. For bringing Ralph here. Bringing him into our lives. M-My life. He's really incredible."

Her mouth went dry and her heart was beating in overdrive. Ralph's own father had never talked about him with such affection, never had that look in his eyes. Paige's knees went a little weak, and she wished she was still standing near the ledge so she could support herself.

Somehow, hearing Walter talk so warmly about her son made her fall a thousand times harder than anything he could have said about her. She wasn't supposed to feel this way, she wasn't supposed to feel _any_ way, but it didn't seem like she had a whole lot of control over it at the moment.

"I should be thanking you," she blurted out, because it would be weird not to respond. "Everything you've done with him, for him…I couldn't give him any of this. He's so happy."

Walter smiled, genuinely. She didn't see that often. He was always so stoic, unless he was watching the team or working on something with Ralph. Or sometimes, when he looked at her, like right now. "I know you feel like you could have done more, but…you should know that you've done a great job raising him. And he really loves you. Even if it's hard for him to show."

Hot tears started to prick at her eyes, and Paige wiped them away quickly, seeing the almost instant concern on Walter's face. "Thank you. That means a lot." She exhaled, overwhelmed by everything she was feeling. It was just cold enough to see her breath as it dissipated into the air. "Walter, I know I'm not part of this team, but I just…I think it's amazing. What you guys do is amazing. And I may only be here because of the wedding, and because of Ralph, but…I don't know," she shook her head. "I've been on my own for a long time. And I feel kind of at home here, is that crazy?"

Walter was staring at her, an indecipherable expression on his face, and Paige was worried she might have gone too far, might have overstepped. "No, it's not crazy," he said, assuaging her fears. "Scorpion is a home for people that don't fit in anywhere else. I'm glad that you and Ralph are comfortable here." She wasn't conscious of him moving toward her, but suddenly it really seemed like they hadn't been this close before. Maybe she'd been the one to move closer, drawn to him by something subconscious, something she was starting to wonder if she had any power over. "Besides…I l-like having you both here."

Paige let out a shuddering breath, and he was too close not to have heard it. His eyes were locked onto hers, until they weren't, and she almost instinctively bit her lip when it became obvious that was where his gaze had dropped. Her legs were barely holding her up, it was only the adrenaline flooding her veins that was keeping her upright, and her entire body was warm, winter be damned.

His phone rang.

She took a fairly large step backward, trying to draw the air back into her lungs. That was so close, _too close_. She'd promised not to make this complicated, not to jeopardize Ralph's happiness by crossing the line with his engaged mentor.

Walter stood rooted in place, looking dazed, until the fourth ring. He swiped over the screen, his voice sounding strange when he answered, "Linda?"

Oh god, Linda. Paige felt horrible. What was she even thinking?

"Yeah. Of course. I'll be there in twenty minutes." He hung up, sliding the phone back into his pocket. "S-Sorry. Linda's at the airport and her car service didn't show, and she's afraid to get an Uber, so…"

"Go. Yeah. Tell her I said hi," Paige said, embarrassed at how breathless she was. "I'll get Toby to help me with Ralph."

"O…Okay," he borderline mumbled, turning sharply and disappearing from the roof. Paige waited until he was out of sight to clap her hands over her face, muffling a noise of frustration.

She'd done a lot of stupid things in her life. But that had to be one of the dumbest.

* * *

"Paige? Why the hell are you calling this late?"

_Blunt as ever_. She didn't feel that bad. Allie sounded fully awake. Honestly, Paige wasn't sure she slept at all. "I need you to give the O'Brien wedding to someone else."

There was a long silence on the other end. "What happened? Did the groom…?"

"No. It wasn't like that," she said in a rush. She'd heard some horror stories from other wedding planners. The sleazier grooms treated them like one last score before the wedding, like their "services" were included in the planning somehow.

Walter wasn't that kind of person. Whatever had just happened between them – she wasn't even sure she _knew_ what just happened – he hadn't cornered her, hadn't pressured into anything. They only came that close because she desperately wanted to. "Paige?" Allie snapped impatiently.

"Sorry. Look, I can't explain, I just…it's not working out. I'll swap with someone else."

"No. It was a miracle you could get everything done after Vivian bailed. I'm not going to put one of the other girls on an even tighter deadline to make this happen." Her boss sighed, her tone softening. "You're talented, Paige. I don't want to see you ruin your career over a rough patch. It'll be over soon enough. Can you see this thing through or not?"

Allie was right. It was a moment of weakness, a fleeting temptation. She'd already put her life on hold for Drew…she couldn't do it for another man, especially one who most likely had no intention of breaking up his relationship.

And besides, she was going to have to come with Ralph anyway. She couldn't avoid Walter altogether. Better to rip off the Band-Aid now. "Yes," she said, newfound determination in her voice. "I can do it."


	6. Doubt

_I can do it._

She _could_ do it. She could pull this wedding off, make it so beautiful all the guests cried, and stand there smiling like she was the happiest damn person in the world. She could do this.

Right after Linda's dress fitting.

"Wow," Paige said, a little surprised to realize that the compliment was honest. She'd only seen pictures of the dress since Linda had picked it out with Vivian, and the photos didn't do it justice. "Linda, it's perfect."

"Really?" She smiled, adjusting and readjusting her hair around her shoulders. "There's a thread here that's a little loose," she added, picking at a strand along the neckline, "but otherwise I think it's fine. Everything fits."

"Good. Why don't you walk around a little, just make sure nothing feels awkward?"

_With the dress, at least_. Linda didn't have any family in the area, and she'd begged Paige to come along for a second opinion. Working with her again was…difficult. Every time Linda thanked her for taking care of the plans while she was gone, Paige felt a massive pang of guilt. She couldn't stop reliving her almost moment with Walter on the roof, embarrassed that it had gone that far and relieved that it hadn't gone farther. She didn't think she would be able to look at Linda if things had gone farther.

It didn't matter. That was over now. She was devoting all of her attention to Linda, keeping as much distance between her and Walter as humanly possible. It wasn't like that night meant anything to him. They were connecting over her son, they were alone, it was just an impulse. Maybe she'd been coming on stronger than she realized, and he was swept up in her attraction. Everyone liked to feel wanted.

He hadn't said anything about it. Not that she'd given him much of a chance to talk, but still, he could have gotten her attention if he wanted. He didn't. It was nothing. They were nothing.

"Yeah, I think it's okay. I'm comfortable. I mean, as comfortable as I'm going to be in this dress." Linda stepped back onto the platform, snapping Paige out of her daze. "Can you help me unzip this?"

"Are you sure? We don't have to rush out. Brides are usually so excited, they don't want to take the dress off," Paige said with a small laugh, stopping short when she saw the change in Linda's expression. "Hey," she said softly, getting up from her seat and closing the distance to the platform. "What's wrong? Tell me and I'll get them to fix it."

Linda shook her head, taking a deep breath. "It's not about the dress. The dress is…beautiful." She turned to face Paige, pressing her lips together. "Can I tell you something?"

"Yeah, of course." Paige extended her hand, helping Linda down and leading her to the couch. "What is it?"

It took Linda a few seconds to move the fabric out of the way so she could sit comfortably, and Paige waited silently, even though she was suddenly more curious than she'd ever been about anything. "I don't know if I can do this," she admitted.

For a long minute, Paige just stared at her. "What?"

"With Walter. I-I don't know if I can do this. I don't know if I _should_ do this." She twisted her hands in her lap, her anxiety on full display now. "I was six days into that business trip when I realized that I didn't miss Walter. I know that sounds so terrible, it is terrible, but…" She shook her head. "It's the truth. And I know I should love this dress, I shouldn't want to take it off, but I just…I'm not sure I feel anything in it. And that's not normal, right? You've done tons of weddings, is this just jitters or is something really wrong?"

Paige was still staring, her thoughts running too fast to figure out which ones she should verbalize, and which should stay buried. She hadn't spent much time with Linda, not really, but she'd never considered the idea that Linda wasn't fully committed. She seemed to be in love, even if Walter wasn't. That was part of why her guilt had been eating her alive.

And how could she not miss Walter? Paige felt his absence every time they weren't together, especially lately.

"I, um…" Paige cleared her throat, willing her brain to work again. "I mean, it's normal to have doubts. It's a serious decision. But I'm sure there was a reason you wanted to marry Walter, and you just have to figure out if that's still true."

Linda nodded. "Walter doesn't love me. You know that, right?"

"Linda…"

"No, it's okay. I'm not being self-deprecating. He literally doesn't believe in love." She chewed on her bottom lip, staring down at her hands. "And I was fine with it. I was starting to think that…love was just overhyped garbage meant to keep people like me permanently disappointed and insecure. Walter is…he's such a good guy, Paige. Honestly, he's amazing. He's never really going to love me, but he won't cheat on me or treat me badly. And at this point in my life, maybe that's what I need. Someone safe who I can spend time with. A partner. Otherwise I'll keep hoping that the love of my life is out there somewhere, and I'll never find him, and I'll just feel even lonelier. Oh god, I'm really rambling right now."

"It's okay," Paige assured her, albeit in a less-than-steady voice. "Just take a breath."

Linda closed her eyes, inhaling and exhaling a few times until she was back in a normal rhythm. "This is not the way I saw this going."

"It's okay," she repeated. "This is normal. I mean…maybe not exactly _this_ , but…the nerves."

"Is it just nerves, though? I'm serious, Paige. I don't know what to do here."

This wasn't the first time a frantic bride or groom had asked for her advice. But it was the first time she couldn't give that advice with a clear head, because her judgment was severely compromised.

_This is what you were waiting for, isn't it? A crack?_

Her first instinct was to talk Linda out of the wedding, but why? Because it was in Linda's best interest? Or hers? And even if they didn't go through with it, who was to say something would happen between her and Walter? He hadn't said anything to make her think he wanted to be with her instead.

If she did that, there would always be a nagging voice that told her it was for selfish reasons.

And if she encouraged Linda to go through it, she would still question her motives. Was she sabotaging herself? Making sure the wedding was a success, so she could move ahead at work? Pushing Linda into a loveless marriage?

There was no winning here. So, she chose the third option. "Walter does seem like a good guy. He really does," she said softly, placing her palm over Linda's hand. "For what it's worth, I think you have every chance of falling in love someday. You're kind and beautiful. But I also think that life can be lonely, and if you find someone who makes you less lonely, then that's okay too. Only you know whether that's enough for you."

Linda smiled sadly. "It would be great if life wasn't so hard, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah," Paige murmured. "It really would."


	7. Illogical

This was a deeply illogical idea.

He'd looked up her address online, too nervous to text her and ask for it, and now he was just going to show up at her front door unannounced at…

Walter checked his watch.

Eight o'clock? Okay, it wasn't that late, but it was still too late to play it off as something related to the wedding. If he chickened out, he could probably pretend he was there to see Ralph.

He wasn't, though. As much as he enjoyed spending time with the young genius, there was something more pressing for him to handle.

She didn't want to talk to him. She'd made that clear. At least, it seemed that way to him. He wasn't exactly an expert in women – or normal people, in general – but he couldn't think of another reason why Paige had been everywhere recently except where he was.

Linda was back. Maybe Paige had only been spending time with him to make plans for the wedding, and now that Linda was back, she had no reason to initiate contact with him. Maybe this was always going to happen.

But that seemed unlikely. Even with his low EQ, Walter had a pretty strong sense that Paige was purposefully avoiding him.

He wasn't sure he blamed her after what happened on the roof.

It had all been so…strange. A few weeks ago, he'd thought of Paige as a helpful guide to the truly expansive world of wedding ceremonies. As the mother of a gifted child who was continuing to surprise him every day.

And then one night, Paige left, and he wished she hadn't.

That was his first sign that something changed.

He ignored it initially. It wasn't a feeling he'd experienced before, and he was certain it was some kind of transference due to his affection for Ralph. But after the fourth time it happened, Walter had to admit the evidence was stacked against his hypothesis.

Walter wasn't sure what motivated him to admit _I like having you both here_. That seemed like a reasonable reply to her confession, although he'd meant to say _we_ _like having you both here_ , which may have been a Freudian slip. It didn't take a behaviorist to notice the change in Paige's breathing, and he was entirely caught off guard to realize that he wanted to do something he had never cared about before.

He wanted to kiss her.

He wasn't even sure what that meant, really. Walter had nothing to compare it to. Now, he couldn't stop thinking about Happy's assertion that maybe he was capable of romantic feelings after all.

If that's what his feelings were, then it was…exhausting.

Paige was ignoring him. He had to operate under that assumption, because the alternative was that she simply had no interest in being around him, and that felt strangely worse.

Assuming he was right, and she was ignoring him, there were two possible causes. Either he'd misread the signals and made her uncomfortable, or she felt guilty about what transpired between them. Walter hadn't felt great seeing Linda's name on his caller ID. Their relationship was built on a certain status quo, one that they both understood, but he was making a commitment to her all the same. It was only right for him to stay true to his word.

He had to talk to Paige. If she was uncomfortable, he could apologize and ensure that she wouldn't have a problem bringing Ralph to the garage in the future. If she felt guilty, they could discuss the next steps.

If she didn't feel anything…then he knew. He could chalk it up as a statistical anomaly and move on, holding true to his original agreement.

But he wouldn't be sure of anything unless he got out of the car.

"Can I help you?" Walter froze at the unfamiliar voice. He was halfway between the car and Paige's door, a distance of only twenty steps or so. He frowned, wondering if someone had called the neighborhood watch because of the suspiciously long time he'd stayed in the car.

"Um…yeah," he said uncertainly. The man currently questioning him was tall and blonde, and carrying a bouquet of flowers. To Paige's door. It had to be. That pathway didn't lead anywhere else. "I'm looking for Paige Dineen. She's…planning my wedding."

"Oh, hey man. I'm Tim." He didn't make any move to shake Walter's hand, so the genius shoved his hands into his pockets, feeling incredibly exposed in the open and hoping that Paige wouldn't see him through the window. "What do you need? It's kind of late."

"Yeah. Yeah, I know, sorry. I just needed to pick up some paperwork," he fibbed, hoping it sounded convincing. He wasn't very adept at lying. "But it can wait."

"Are you sure? I can go in there and get it for you."

"No, it's fine. You're right. It's late." Walter swallowed. He knew he was going to regret asking this question, but he was damned by his own curiosity. "Do you live here?"

Tim laughed. "Nah. Just visiting my girlfriend."

_Girlfriend._ He was the dumbest person alive. Paige was beautiful and successful, it stood to reason she would date someone like…well, like Tim. He'd just never heard her talk about a boyfriend. She told him on the roof that she had been on her own for a long time. Maybe he misunderstood her. Maybe this was new.

It didn't really matter. All of this was a mistake. At least he had his answer now.

"Well, thank you. I'll get the paperwork another time. Have a nice night."

Tim waited outside until Walter had gotten back into his car and turned off the street. It didn't seem like he'd believed the paperwork story.

Walter drove home in silence, remembering vividly why he preferred not to have emotions.

* * *

"Who were you talking to?"

Tim cocked his head. "Hello to you too, Paige."

"Sorry, hi," Paige said as she stepped aside to let him in. "I just heard you talking to someone outside. One of my neighbors?"

"Yeah. It was nothing important." Tim handed her a bouquet of white flowers, smiling down at her. "I saw these and thought about you."

Paige sighed, giving him a halfhearted smile in return. "Thanks. They're really nice. But you didn't have to." She crossed the room to the kitchen, choosing an empty purple vase and filling it with water from the sink. "On the phone, you said we needed to talk. What's so important you couldn't tell me over the phone?"

"Well…" Paige jumped a little as she realized he was right behind her, slipping his arms around her waist. "I can't do this over the phone," he whispered, his lips dropping to her neck.

"What the hell?" She disentangled herself, dropping the flowers onto the counter. "Tim, what are you doing?"

He cracked a smile, a crooked grin that she used to find charming and now recognized as his way of shifting focus from a topic he didn't want to discuss. "I told you I missed you. You said I could come over, I assumed…"

"I broke up with you! I said we could be friends and I thought that was what you wanted. To talk to a friend." Paige dragged her hand over her face, feeling so stupid. Of course, Tim couldn't just respect her decision. He never did. "I haven't even talked to you in a year, and now you're on leave and you just want to pick up where we left off? I thought I was pretty clear this wasn't working for me."

"Yeah, but I never said I agreed to that."

Paige glared at him. "You didn't need to. Breakups don't have to be mutual."

"Come on, Paige," he said with an exaggerated sigh. "I know our timing wasn't great, but you're not dating anyone else, right? Now that I'm here, why can't we just talk it out? Or at least have some fun?"

Tim was looking at her hopefully, and, yes, it would have been nice to have some fun, to have a distraction from Walter and everything else that she couldn't confront right now.

The thought passed as quickly as it came. Because Paige couldn't distract herself forever. She wouldn't feel better afterward, just worse.

"Tim, I can't," she said in what she hoped was a kind but unmistakable voice. "Look, what we had was just…not enough. I knew it when we broke up, but I'm really sure of it now. I know there's more out there, for both of us."

His smile faded. "So, what, you are seeing someone? You could just say that, you know."

Paige bit her tongue to avoid launching into a diatribe about why it was perfectly okay for a woman to say no without being in another relationship, but it was beside the point and he probably wouldn't understand anyway. "No, I'm not. But I can't settle for you, Tim. I can't settle when I know I'm capable of feeling more for someone else." His expression was a little wounded, and she exhaled, shaking her head. "Sorry. I didn't mean to be harsh. But I'm not changing my mind."

"Yeah, okay," Tim said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Message received."

* * *

"Hey, Allie. Sorry to call late, again."

She was surprised to get her boss's voicemail. It wasn't like Allie not to answer. But maybe it was easier to say this way.

"I'm giving the O'Brien wedding back to Vivian. She's in town. The boyfriend didn't work out. Shocker, I know." Paige dropped her head against the pillow, staring up at the ceiling. "I've basically done all the work. She just needs to show up. And I'm sorry. I told you I could do it, and I really thought I could. I know I'm probably torpedoing my career, but I have to do what's best for me. Thank you. For everything."

Paige ended the call, sinking deeper into her couch. She was probably going to be sulking there for a while.

In hindsight, this was inevitable. What she'd blurted out to Tim in the heat of their disagreement felt like a revelation. What she felt for Walter wasn't just attraction. It wasn't just lust or loneliness or self-sabotage. It was something else. Something that truly, honestly scared her.

He didn't believe in love. Linda said it herself. There was nothing she could do to _make_ him feel that way about her, even if she was brave enough to confess her feelings.

And she couldn't watch him marry someone else.

She would figure out something with Ralph. If she asked, she was sure Happy and Toby would pick him up. Or Cabe. Cabe adored him too.

And maybe someday, when things had calmed down, she would be able to find a home with Scorpion again.


	8. Honesty

"Hey." Walter didn't often notice subtle changes in facial expressions, but Linda was giving him such a strange look when she stepped into the loft that he caught on almost immediately. "That was, uh, Vivian."

He paused, taking a second to place the name. "Vivian? Our old wedding planner?"

"And…our new one, apparently. She just called to let me know that she's taking the wedding back from Paige."

"What? Why?"

Linda sat on the edge of his bed, looking deep in thought. "She just said Paige had a personal issue to take of and needed to back out. She assured me that everything was taken care of and the wedding wouldn't be affected."

"A personal issue?" Walter swallowed, looking around his cluttered workspace for his phone and trying to remember the last place he'd seen it. "M-Maybe something happened to Ralph? I should call. Make sure everything is okay with…w-with both of them."

"Walter…"

"It's just not like her to leave so suddenly without saying something," he insisted, going still as his brain caught up to his mouth. Walter wasn't sure where that came from. It wasn't like he'd known Paige for years, even if it felt that way sometimes. He didn't know what she would do. Especially considering how distant she had been with him lately.

He'd always had, as Linda would put it, a "protective streak." Typically, though, he was concerned because someone was in the direct path of danger. He had no reason to think that applied to Paige, but he still felt like this pit in his stomach would grow until he was sure that she was alright.

"I think I know," Linda said softly, flipping her phone back and forth in her hands. "Why she bowed out, I mean."

Walter raised his eyebrow, and Linda sighed, absentmindedly rubbing her thumb over the screen.

"We talked about you, you know. And I could just…see it in her face. It's the same thing I see in your face right now."

"I don't know what that means."

Linda gave him a halfhearted smile. "Something changed while I was gone. You were different when I got back." He opened his mouth to say…he wasn't actually sure, he was hoping the words would come to him, but she beat him to it. "Walter, we were getting married because neither of us thought we were ever going to fall in love. Right? Let's just be honest about it. Except you clearly can, and if you can then I sure as hell can, and we can't settle for something that won't be enough for either of us."

Walter was dumbfounded. His feelings for Paige were…unprecedented, to be sure, but love? That was a difficult concept for him to wrap his mind around.

Then again, he didn't really have any experience to compare it to. Maybe his constant desire to be around her, his concern for her, the tightness in his chest when she smiled at him were all symptoms – there was probably a better word for that – of love. Or, if not love, yet, at least the precursor to it.

He knew he felt a way about her that he'd never felt about Linda. And that wasn't fair. "I'm sorry."

"Please, Walter, don't apologize. I've been having second thoughts for a while, but I just needed time to think it through. Make sure this was the right decision. And it is." Linda bit her lip. "I can't marry you. I'm sorry."

"No. I…I understand." Walter exhaled, feeling…he wasn't sure. Guilt, he could recognize that. Relief. Sadness. Fear. Just because he was potentially capable of falling in love didn't mean Paige or anyone else would reciprocate. He could end up dying alone after all. "You're a good friend, Linda. I hope you'll always be that."

"I will." She smiled, more genuinely this time. "So, are you going to tell her?"

"She has a boyfriend," he said, well aware of how miserable he sounded and chastising himself for it.

"Oh." Linda was quiet for a moment, and then she slid off her ring, walking over to Walter's desk and placing it gently down next to him. "It's not over until you say 'I do,' right?"

Walter looked up at her, sure that they would have worked out in another world. He really did enjoy Linda's company. He wished he'd felt more for her, but since he didn't, it was just as well that she wasn't in love with him either. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She patted his shoulder. "By the way, I still want to go to Hawaii, so don't cancel my plane ticket, okay?"

He frowned. "You're going on our honeymoon without me?"

"Well, you could come," she shrugged. "But I hope you'll be too busy."

* * *

"Paige?"

She jumped a mile. Paige was already on edge, hoping Ralph would come out and get in the car before she had to confront anyone from the team. _Too late_.

Paige unlocked the car door, forcing Walter to step back a few feet while she got out. "Hi," she said, not making direct eye contact with him because she really wasn't ready to see him again. "I'm just waiting for Ralph."

"I know. He's, um, he's not here. He's at Kovelsky's."

"What?" she snapped, and Walter flinched, looking strangely guilty. "We agreed I would pick him up at six, why wouldn't he tell me he would be late?"

"I may have, um, asked him not to say anything." She glared at him, and Walter quickly launched into an explanation. "I'm sorry, but you won't return my calls and I need to talk to you."

His words simultaneously sent a shiver down her spine and formed a pit in her stomach. "If it's about the wedding, I'm sure Vivian has it under control."

"It's not about the wedding. Or, I guess it is…" Walter crossed his arms, dragging one hand across his mouth. "There is no wedding, Paige."

A light breeze could have knocked her over.

"So, can we talk? Everyone is at dinner, the garage is empty."

Paige conceded, her mind racing as she followed him inside. She was almost on autopilot, not realizing he'd led them all the way up to the roof until the string lights came into view.

"I know you like it up here. And it's a really nice night," he explained, holding open the door to let her pass through. Under any other circumstances, she would have turned around and walked out, because she clearly couldn't control herself here, but he'd said _there is no wedding_ and she desperately needed to know what he meant.

"Okay, I'm here," she said curtly, folding her arms over her chest. "What's going on, Walter?"

"Linda and I canceled the wedding. About a week ago. I wanted to tell you, but…"

"But I wasn't answering your calls." Paige winced as she recalled the multiple voicemails she'd deleted without listening. She assumed it would either be questions about why she quit, which she couldn't handle, or friendly inquiries about Ralph, which she also couldn't handle. "Why?"

"You already know. At least, you know Linda's side of it," he said. Paige nodded, squeezing her eyes shut. It had to have been hard for Walter to hear that. "Is that why you quit? Because of what Linda told you?"

She let out a breath. "That was part of it."

"And the other part?"

They stared at each other for several long moments, both unwilling to be the first to confess.

"Linda knew. About my…m-my feelings for you," Walter said, breaking the stalemate. Paige honestly thought every bit of oxygen had been forcibly removed from her lungs. "I guess it was obvious."

"Not to me," Paige said, her voice just above a whisper. She couldn't manage anything louder. "Linda said you didn't believe in that stuff."

Walter shrugged, his eyes still focused very intensely on her. "I didn't know what it felt like. I didn't think I was capable of feeling it. My theory was wrong." He stepped forward, just a few inches but enough for her already racing heart to pick up speed. "And I know that you're dating Tim…"

"Wait," Paige interrupted, holding up a hand. "How do you know about Tim? I never mentioned him."

He looked confused. "I, um…I-I went to your condo to talk to you. After…after what happened up here. Tim was outside. He said you were his girlfriend."

"Oh my god," she sighed, dropping her face into her palms. She couldn't even imagine what Tim had said to scare Walter away. "He never told me. But I'm not…I'm not dating Tim. He's my ex. He wanted to get back together, but I knew it wasn't right."

"Oh. Okay."

They lapsed into another silence, only broken up by the sound of the street traffic below, until they said each other's names at the same time. "You go first," Walter said.

"I'm sorry if I came between you and Linda," she said honestly. "I never meant for that."

The corner of his mouth tilted up. "You did. But I'm glad you did. Honestly, I think Linda is too."

She wouldn't have believed him if she hadn't heard Linda's fears firsthand. And she wholeheartedly believed that Linda would find someone who was completely head over heels in love with her.

Someone who made her feel the way Paige felt right now with Walter's eyes on her.

"Are you…I mean, I hope that I'm reading the situation correctly, but I know that you may not…"

Paige narrowed her eyes, not understanding what he was rambling about, until it occurred to her that she hadn't actually told him how she felt. It had been so all-consuming to her for months that she couldn't believe Walter didn't already know. "I quit because I knew it would be too hard to watch you marry Linda," she admitted quietly. "I don't think I've stopped thinking about you since the night you saved me from that car. I tried to bury it but then you would…you would look at me a certain way, or I would see you with Ralph and I knew I couldn't fight it. I just had to keep my distance. I'm sorry. I didn't know…" _I didn't know you could ever feel the same about me_. "I didn't know."

"Neither did I." Walter closed the rest of the distance, close enough that she could feel the warmth from his body and it was practically sending her up in flames. "I know this is…k-kind of a weird question, but would you consider working for Scorpion?"

Paige blinked, thrown by the change of course. "Are you serious?"

"Yes. You're a remarkable wedding planner. I could use someone with your logistics skills and emotional intelligence. I mean…Scorpion could."

"Well, I'm not a wedding planner anymore. I kind of lost my job when I backed out of your wedding," she said sheepishly. "I mean, are you sure? I'm not a genius. And you would have to deal with me being around _all_ the time."

"I…" Walter's lopsided grin rendered her legs entirely useless. "I don't think I would mind that."

"Okay," she said a little breathlessly. It made sense. She loved the team. And Ralph would be absolutely thrilled. It was a leap of faith, but so was everything worth doing.

"Okay," Walter repeated, his eyes drifting from hers and landing on her lips. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, setting her skin on fire.

She'd been here before. But this time was different. This time, she didn't feel guilt. Only excitement about what came next.

"Okay," Paige said again, leaning forward impulsively and kissing him. He tensed, surprised, but it was a fraction of a second before he was reciprocating, his lips soft against hers. She was pretty sure the only thing keeping her upright was Walter's firm hands on her back and in her hair.

Paige silently thanked Vivian for chasing after her awful boyfriend, thanked that driver for running a red light, thanked Ralph for getting bored and deciding to play chess with a pile of sugar packets.

Because it all led to this. And god, it was worth it.


End file.
